In 2002, Yates was convicted of killing two women in Pierce County and sentenced to death, but it was commuted to life without parole after the Washington Supreme Court ruled capital punishment unconstitutional in 2018. The same month, he picked up a prostitute, detectives say. He's telling me, `It's greater than anything I can imagine.' When did Robert Lee Yates get the death penalty? Image Credits: Baffling Documentaries, Youtube. He was to die by lethal injection on October 3, 2002. "If you've got two of those, you've probably done a heck of a good job somewhere," says Martha Rudd, a spokeswoman for the Pentagon. She raised her children to respect their elders, Ernest Youderian says. plead guilty to in Spokane County, Washington. He brought the family to company picnics. The petition states that Yates and his wife have assets of more than $136,000 and liabilities totaling $475,000. Oct 3, 2002. On August 26, 1997, the body of Heather Hernandez, 20, was found in an overgrown lot in Spokane. Among them was Jennifer Joseph, who was last spotted in a car resembling a white Corvette, a white man at the wheel. The arguments were rejected in 2007 by the Washington Supreme Court. . Born in 1952. He mostly chose sex workers as his victims, and they died as a result of gunshot wounds. Given the publicity surrounding the arrest, Fasy is likely to seek a change of venue to move the case out of Spokane County but wonders whether his client will be able to get a fair trial anywhere in Washington state. [4], Yates' first murders were committed in 1975, when he shot and killed two college students who were picnicking. Linda Brewer met Robert Lee Yates when he was working at the Washington State Penitentiary as a corrections officer, and they married in 1976. Linda also recalled feeling suspicious when her husband went "hunting" because he "was dressed up nice and had cologne on.". "How could you not see the signs?" Hernandez had only recently come to the area and within a few weeks was arrested twice for prostitution. Who was Robert Lee Yates and what did he do? [35][36][37][32][20], Melody Ann Murfin "There's absolutely no doubt," says Sterk, adding that DNA links Yates to eight of the deaths. This would allow them to retain certain assets while selling off property to repay their debts. The children's birth years range from 1974 to 1989. In fact, Christine Smith, the only victim to have ever survived Roberts murder spree, was also listed as a creditor. It's not clear where Linda Yates or the other children lived at this time. He lasts four months. 5. [18][19][20], Darla Sue Scott Robert Lee Yates Jr. is charged for 13 murders. People can learn about careers, enter for giveaways and get info on energy saving programs. [52] After the Washington State Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that the death penalty violated the state constitution, Yates's death sentence, as well as that of Washington's other death row inmates, was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole. However, Seattle Times reports his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole following the Washington Supreme Court's decision to abolish capital punishment. No trace of criminals on either side, points out Ernest Youderian, Yates' uncle, and no way is his nephew capable of such horrific acts. Authorities believe the Spokane Killer waited 13 years before killing his third victim Stacy Hawn. Most of his victims were prostitutes who wereinvolved with drugs. 1980 - Yates attends a warrant-officer basic course to become a helicopter pilot. 38. While he was already incarcerated, Yates was also charged with two more crimes the murders of Melinda L. Mercer (in 1997) and Connie Ellis (in 1998). Job: Criminal. Robert Lee Yates, Jr., defied many of the inductive predictions that are frequently offered regarding serial murderershe was married, had a good job, a nice home, . The Woods Creek Sustainability Center is hosting a Hydropower Appreciation Day for guests to see how hydroelectricity gets made. April 5, 2000 - The fibers removed from the white Corvette match fibers found on Jennifer Joseph's shoes and a towel found near her body, police say. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. He was anything but atypical. "He was always neat as a pin," says Barbara Youderian, Ernest's wife. He would say, `I think there might be a better way,' " Merrill says. Linda Yates, who is from Walla Walla, married Robert Yates in 1976. He also tied the knot with his second wife, Linda, a few months later. Two days later, his middle daughter Amber, then 19, showed up at the county jail lobby. A mother-of-pearl button was found that matched one missing from Joseph's jacket. During his first trial in 2000, Yates took a plea bargain in which he pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder in exchange for 408 years in prison, effectively avoiding the death penalty. The youngest - the only boy - is now 11. As part of the base's assault-helicopter division, Yates served in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia in late 1992 and early 1993 and Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti in 1994. The still-pending motion is regarded as a "long shot" by most observers. Wasn't tall, wasn't short. His white Corvette had been searched, and police found blood that linked him to Jennifers murder. On August 1, 1998, Christine Smith filed a police report for assault and robbery after she was hit in the head during a sex act. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. At the same time, detectives were closing in on the mystery of the dead women, a tiny clue at a time. Sheriff Mark Sterk says DNA and other evidence link Yates to at least 12 of the slayings. He floated through high school without making many solid connections. While the family has appeared on a few shows like Dateline, they seem to be very private about their lives. Classmates in the pre-med program don't remember him. European newspapers call him the "notorious Washington Ripper." At Yates' trial, it was revealed that even after she was shot in the head, Mercer had chewed through two of the bags before succumbing to her injuries. The Spokane Serial Killer: An American Monster by Investigation Discovery explores gruesome crimes committed by Robert Lee Yates. He also confessed to killing a total of 18 women in several counties. He refused, stating that it was too extreme of a request for a "family man. "He's been married 27 years. Few people remember his wife. 4. Smith also told police the man told her he was a National Guard helicopter pilot and had five children. She started using methamphetamine and became involved in prostitution. She was shot once and had two plastic bags covering her head. There, he taught helicopter pilots how to teach soldiers to fly OH-58 helicopters. The next year, Robert Lee Yates signed up with the Army. He has to rush back to New York to go to Haiti. His luck had started to run out. Fall 1970 - Goes to Skagit Valley Community College. This petition claimed that the assets equaled $136,000 but the liabilities were $475,000. Im married and have a 17 month old son. It seemed as though Robert could not hold a job outside the military. In Touch Weekly reports DNA evidence, which was found inside Yates' vehicle, conclusively linked him to 13 of the victims. They were just trying to get some fresh meat.". The couple went on to have four daughters and one son. Her e-mail address is kbarker@seattletimes.com, Keiko Morris' phone message number is 425-745-7804. It was Linda Yates first interview since the arrest of her husband in Spokane the morning of April 18. [50] His case was further complicated by Washington Governor Jay Inslee's 2013 declaration that he would not sign death warrants for anyone on death row while he is in office. Yates decided he wanted to be a doctor. By the time Yates moved to town, five women were already dead. He was sentenced to 408 years in prison. October 1976 - Anna Mae Yates dies after a long bout with cancer. Victims whose names are followed by an asterisk ( # ) have been linked to Robert Yates, through DNA and other evidence, according to the Spokane County sheriff. He pleaded guilty for his crimes as part of a plea bargain so as to not receive the death penalty. She had been missing since October 29, 1997. Although he was described as a bit of a loner, Robert Lee Yates Jr. participated in a number of extracurricular activities, including football and choir. However, there is another side to Robert Lee Yates. Mercer did not have a criminal record, nor any ties to prostitution, and reportedly worked as a waitress. He's driving a Honda Civic. Youderian said if he had ever had children he would want them to "come up as good" as Robert. Deceased (19382013) He received a sentence of 408 years behind bars. They also expect to move the case to Spokane County Superior Court, at which time Yates will enter a formal plea. So, a question naturally arose were his loved ones aware of the grim reality? The first time was when she found out that her husband had drilled a hole in their attic to voyeuristically watch a couple have sex. Had brown hair he combed from right to left. He was in pre-med. As reported by Kitsap Sun, Yates' family described him as "a loving, caring and sensitive son, a fun-loving and giving brother, [and] an understanding, generous and dedicated father.". Robert Lee Yates threw fast pitches in high school, but didn't have much of a curve. "He was very methodical. While in the Army, Yates had 30 days of leave a year. Patience like you wouldn't believe.". Police say he drove his 1977 white Corvette down East Sprague Avenue and picked up prostitutes. "If I raised kids, I'd like them to come up as good as him," says Ernest Youderian, who always received Christmas cards from his nephew. The Spokane Serial Killer: An American Monster by Investigation Discovery explores gruesome crimes committed by Robert Lee Yates. "I don't think Mr. Yates helps his cause by relying on the fact that he's a necrophiliac," said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. A heck of a teacher, say Army subordinates. The bankruptcy petition lists their two-story home on Spokanes South Hill as the familys biggest asset. 7 What did Rusty Yates say about Andrea Yates? His process was that after approaching them, (in many cases) he would have sex with them. Linda Yates had grown up in the Eastern Washington town. Robert Lee Yates, Jr. | Wikipedia Robert Yates: Son, husband, athlete, father . He still maintained that, when stopped the year before, he had been driving a friend's daughter home. Maybin, who paid for her crack habit by working as a prostitute, had been missing since November 22, 1997. Dropping commuter routes into Seattle next year will let the agency redeploy buses and drivers throughout the county. Forensic experts found his fingerprint on one of the plastic bags tied around a victim's head, and Yates' genetic profile, from blood drawn after his arrest, matched . However, she and her children ultimately settled into "a quiet life" and are currently living in the state of Washington. Although it happened seven years before he was born, his grandmother reportedly murdered his grandfather using an ax. A single parent. May 1975 - Yates gets an associate-of-arts degree from Skagit Valley. Some of them were found in days, others in months. Anna Mae Yates did the hair of neighborhood ladies and worked as a housekeeping supervisor at the local hospital. He was posted internationally as well, and some of the countries he went to were Germany, and eventually, Haiti and Somalia for UN peacekeeping missions. He served in Germany, Haiti and Somalia. The measure signed by the governor Friday will give the county flexibility in how it spends a special affordable housing sales tax. As reported by Seattle Times, Robert Lee Yates Jr.'s parents were devout Seventh-Day Adventists, and Robert joined the church when he was 14 years old. From 1996 to 1998, he is known to have murdered at least 13 prostitutes in Spokane, Washington. She was considered a victim of the same killer, due to her history and association with other victims, but her body was not discovered until six months after Yates' arrest and subsequent confession. This undated photo shows Robert Lee Yates, Jr., who is Spokane's most prolific killer. Well, this stark reputation was replaced with the moniker of a serial killer by April 2000. March 1998 - The Yateses buy a home a mile away from their rental house. He Tried To Use Necrophilia As A Defense. TACOMA A jury today sentenced serial killer Robert Lee Yates Jr. to death by lethal injection for the aggravated murders of two women. April 10, 2000 - A search warrant is signed for the Corvette. Then, sometimes, they did drugs together, after which he killed them and disposed of their bodies. Performance & security by Cloudflare. He is a convicted murderer and it is unknownexactly but estimated that Yates has killed over 18 women. Yates is 47, a father of five, a silver-anniversary husband. There was even the body of Melody Murfin which had been buried in his own front yard. He and his wife had six children, including Yates' mother, Anna Mae. In 1976, Robert Yates and Linda Brewer had a second wedding ceremony - this time in Oak Harbor, with Brewers' parents as the witnesses - most likely because his divorce hadn't been final the first time. [20], Connie Lynn Ellis-LaFontaine The bankruptcy revealed the couple had $136,000 in assets and $475,000 in liabilities at the time of Robert's arrest. Detectives are still investigating, taking the house apart, piece by piece, looking for evidence. "We were in a pinch for instructors, and Bob filled the position nicely," says Rick Ponder, his boss. November 1997 - Yates is cited for speeding in his Corvette, about 2.5 miles from where a slain woman's body was found three weeks earlier. Who was Andrea Yates married to after the killings? - by Sarah Firth. Following his sentencing hearing, Yates made a statement apologizing to the families of all the victims he had killed. He is one of hundreds interviewed and asked for blood samples. Police looked for a white Corvette, and a state patrolman pulled over Yates in his Corvette along the drag in Spokane where prostitutes work. Robert Lee Yates is a member of. He sweats, police say. [33][34][32][20], Linda Marie Maybin We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Read More: Where is Robert Lee Yates Now? Yates leaves Walla Walla College without a degree. In Spokane, the family rented a modest brown home on the South Hill, in a cul-de-sac subdivision with manicured bushes and tulips and ranch homes that stretch for blocks. Robert Lee Yates Jr. (born May 27, 1952) is an American serial killer from Spokane, Washington. It didn't hurt a damn thing. May 27, 1952 - Born in Anacortes to Anna Mae and Robert Lee Yates. Why do people love Robert Lee Yates? It's not clear who in his family came with him. As reported by Radford University's Department of Psychology, Yates Jr.'s childhood was far from ideal. [42][43][20], Yates was arrested on April 18, 2000, for the murder of Jennifer Joseph. On June 14, 1996, Shannon Zielinski, 38, was found shot in the head in Mead. However, the story did not end here. Yates retired from the military after 18 years and rented a home with his family in a maze of Spokane subdivisions. The Pierce County Superior Court jury of seven men and five women began deliberating late yesterday. She said her father hit her all the time. His uncle, Ernest Youderian, said his nephew was well-spoken and "never used any profanity." January 1999 - He's told the misdemeanor charge for striking his daughter will be dropped if he doesn't do anything similar for two years. Robert Lee Yates Jr., who is commonly referred to as The Spokane Killer, was convicted of killing 15 women and one man in Spokane, Washington, and the surrounding area, between 1975 and 1998. "He always had answers to everything," she said. April 19, 2000 - He is charged with murdering Joseph. In 1975, he was hired by the Washington State Department of Corrections to work as a correction officer at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. He then married his first wife, Shirley Nylander when he was 20 years old. She was found nude and partially obscured by a hot tub cover. Following his high school graduation Robert Lee Yates Jr. earned an associates degree from Skagit Valley College and studied pre-med in Walla Walla. Yates, a decorated former military helicopter pilot, pleaded guilty in 2000 to murdering 13 women in Spokane County and was sentenced to . He killed that.. She moves home to Fall City with her parents. As an avid tennis player, his transition to pickleball was fairly quick. At Kaiser, Yates followed the rules, the only overhead crane operator to actually drive the crane as slowly as he was supposed to. As reported by The Seattle Times, Yates, who may have killed as many as 18 people, was ultimately sentenced to death. 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